New Delhi, May 25: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for by-elections to five Assembly constituencies of Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal.

The polling date for the five constituencies is June 19, and the date of counting of votes is June 23.

Of the five constituencies going to the polls, two are in Gujarat -- Kadi (a reserved seat) and Visavadar.

In Kerala, the bypolls will be held for the Nilambur seat.

The Punjab will see the bypolls in Ludhiana West, and in West Bengal, the seat where the by-election will be held is Kaliganj.

The ECI shared this information in a post on X, its handle, on Sunday.

The date of issue of the Gazette Notification is May 26.

The last date for making nominations is June 2, and the date for the scrutiny of nominations is June 3.

The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is June 5.

The ECI has said that the date by which the election shall be completed is June 25.

In Gujarat, the Visavdar seat fell vacant due to the resignation of the then Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Bhupatbhai Bhayani (who later joined the BJP). The Kadi seat, which is reserved for Schedule Caste (SC) candidates, is vacant due to the passing away of the then BJP MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki.

The bypoll to the Nilambur Assembly seat in Kerala was necessitated by the resignation of Independent MLA P.V. Anvar.

The Ludhiana West Assembly constituency in Punjab fell vacant following the demise of sitting Congress MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi.

In West Bengal, the election will be held in Kalighat following the Assembly seat falling vacant after the demise of sitting MLA, veteran Trinamool Congress MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, who died of cardiac arrest in February.

With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the districts in which the whole or any part of the Assembly constituency going for election is included, said the ECI.

The Commission also said that the candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through Television channels on three occasions during the campaign period. A political party that sets up candidates with criminal antecedents is also required to publish information about the criminal background of its candidates, both on its website and in newspapers and Television channels on three occasions.

It said the Commission has directed that the period specified will be decided with three blocks in the following manner, so that electors have sufficient time to know about the background of such candidates: within the first four days of withdrawal; Between the next 5th - 8th days; and, From the 9th day till the last day of the campaign (the second day prior to the date of poll).

The ECI also said the political parties shall also publish in newspapers and their official social media platforms and upload on their website, the details and the reasons for selecting candidates with having criminal background within 48 hours of the selection of such a candidate. This information will also be available on an App titled ‘know your candidates’.

(IANS)

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